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Notes
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Notes
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DR. SUSAN CRAIG SCOTT is a cosmetic and hair replacement surgeon. A graduate of Princeton and Columbia universities, she is an attending surgeon at several New York City hospitals. Since 1996, she has been the team physician for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. She has been a guest consultant on such programs as Today, and was featured in New York magazine’s “Best Doctors i n Manhattan” issue.
KAREN W. BRESSLER is a New York City-based writer who has worked on staff at Vogue, Mademoiselle, Seventeen, and YM magazines, and has freelanced i n the areas of beauty, fashion, fitness, and travel for many years. Her work has also appeared i n such publications as American Health, Brides, Condé Nast Traveler, Cosmopolitan, Fitness, Parenting, Prevention, and Self, and she has appeared on CBS News, Good Day New York, Fox News, and the CNN and MSNBC networks. She is also the author of DIY Beauty.
Chapter 1
The Life of Hair
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Hair. We brush it, blow-dry it, iron it, style it, shampoo it, condition it, color it, straighten it, curl it, perm it, pull it back, braid it, part it, section it, and subject it to salt water, chlorine, smoke, pollution, heat, humidity, and sweat. It is an integral part of our daily routine and we are constantly doing something to affect it.
To sustain our obsession with hair, there are thousands of hair salons around the world, making it a multibillion-dollar business. At some of New York City’s top salons, like Elizabeth Arden and Frédéric Fekkai, women schedule appointments weeks in advance to see the stylist of their choice and pay hundreds of dollars to get the look they want. But regular cut and color visits are just the beginning of the maintenance process. More and more specialty clinics, where individualized hair care is the focus, are replacing traditional salons. A visit to the Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic begins with an analysis and case history, nutrition advice, and a discussion of hair care, treatments, product lines, and follow-up counseling sessions via the phone. Physicians are consulted if a medical problem occurs. Why are we so concerned with our hair? Because it frames the face and it makes a strong first impression. It can embody beauty, power, attraction, age, grace, and health. Perhaps the most compelling characteristic of hair is that it is one of the few “accessories” that is attached to us on such a visible plane. Since our hair is such an obvious component of our appearance, it instantly becomes a statement of how well we take care of and how we view ourselves. People assume that our hair looks the way we want it to look or that we don’t care how it looks. So others can pretty accurately assess the state of our confidence, organization, and well-being from the state of our hair.
Different hairstyles and colors represent a range of personality traits. A recent Yale University study, commissioned by Physique Hair Care, rated 300 images of men and women. The results were telling: Hair pulled back conveys intelligence, long dark curly hair is seen as outgoing, people with medium-length casual styles are deemed good-natured, and short hair signals confidence. Sexiness is associated with long, straight blond hair. The stigmas and character traits people match with hair have blossomed over time and remain with us wherever we go. Even further, women have proven that hair is one of the single most important aspects of their appearance due to its malleability. It can be changed quickly to help us accomplish a number of feats: starting over in a job or relationship, making it look as if we’re on top of things, and temporarily covering other physical or emotional issues we don’t want people to notice. For thousands of years, hair has been a powerful tool for our instant self-confidence, as well as a strong contributor to our lack thereof.
A History of Hair
Some of the first references to hair care appear as early as 4000 B.C., when Egyptians crafted combs out of dried fish bones. In 2000 B.C., Egyptians mixed water and citrus juice to make shampoo, and they applied animal fats and plant oils to their hair for conditioning. In 1800 B.C., Babylonian men powdered their hair with gold dust, and in 1500 B.C., Assyrian slaves curled the hair of kings and other nobles with heated iron bars. In 500 B.C., hair styling was born in western Africa, where sticks and clay were used as early versions of curlers and setting gel. Accessories and color were introduced in 35 B.C., when Cleopatra wore jewel-studded ivory pins in her hair and Roman prostitutes were forced to dye their hair blond. In the first century A.D., hair color became even more prominent. Women attended Roman feasts showing off their dark, shiny tresses, thanks to dyes, which were created from boiled walnuts and leeks. Saxon men charged on the battlefield toward their enemies with their hair blazing in threatening hues of blue, green, and orange, in the year 100. In Rome, circa 200, sculptors began to attach marble wigs to their artwork to update them in accordance with the hairstyles of the times. And in the fourth century, there was an emphatic show of hairnets and scarves.
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Ancient women managed to create elaborate hairstyles without the help of today’s modern products.
Fast-forward a millennium: If you think that permanent solution now smells awful, empathize with European women in the 1300s who conditioned their hair with dead lizards boiled in olive oil. And that’s not all they had to endure; they also shaved their hairlines to show off high foreheads and piled hair high on their heads to make their necks look longer. We find it difficult today to meet society’s physical ideals as projected by television, magazines, and other forms of media. Imagine the challenge women had in the 1400s, when the somewhat devious theoretician Machiavelli announced the standard for appealing locks, claiming that a woman should be crowned by hair that is “loose and blond, sometimes the color of gold, at other times honey, shiny as the rays of the sun, wavy, thick and long, scattered in long curls, and fluttering on the shoulders.” Women who strictly adhere to the doctrines of some religions may relate to the married women of 16th-century Italy, who were expected to cover or braid their hair in the interest of modesty. Around the same time, French women frizzed their hair with heat and then sculpted it to towering heights. Red hair and wigs were made fashionable in England by Queen Elizabeth, and “blonding” was a hit, with a homespun dye composed of wine, spices, and herbs.
Finally, an entrepreneur capitalized on hair’s phenomenal importance, paving the way for the Vidal Sassoons and Bumble and Bumbles of our times. In 1635, the very first ladies’ hair salon, appropriately named Champagne, opened in Paris, France. Extra-firm-hold hair gel would have been an essential commodity in the 18th century, when stiff pompadours—masses of hair combed high, frizzed above the forehead, and held in place with paste and glue—were the rage. The entire period marked the origins of hairdressing as a true art form. Hairdressers constructed monuments out of hair as fashion statements, and even further, as statements about current events and deep emotions. The masterpieces were so elaborate that ladies reportedly had to crouch on their knees to fit the huge ’dos into their carriages as they traveled. Hundreds of years before the punk rock era as we know it, hair was powdered in blue, violet, white, pink, and yellow pastels.
Eventually, the rigidity gave way to a historic form of “bedhead.” These elegantly neglected styles featured disarrayed locks whimsically arranged and loosely tied, with overflows of curls in chocolate brown hues. Hair was also crimped, tousled, and caught up in chignons, with locks framing the face, much like today’s special-occasion updo. Women also wore their hair knotted low in heavy chignons and accented with flowers. Late in the century, the French Revolution called for shorter, less elaborate styles. During the early 19th century, hats, hoods, and headdresses became popular in France. Plain and plaited hair made waves in England in the 1850s. The “’60s” were a different kind of groovy, with clip-on hair and big hair marking another change from the norm. In the 1870s, beauty parlors opened in the United States, featuring centennial chignons and dainty bunches of curls. In the 1880s, women charted the course for Crystal Gayle, wearing their hair all the way down their backs, even to the ankles.
The first signs of consumer distress with less tress came in 1900, right alongside a public striving to achieve the “ideal” figure. While corsets were drawn tighter than ever, chignon fillers like braids and swatches were wrapped around thin hair coils to resemble fuller heads of hair. Creative invention didn’t stop there; it only flourished. As in many other fields, the 20th century brought invention to the hair industry that dramatically changed everything. In 1907, the first chemical hair color formula was born—named Aureole by its originator, Eugene Schueller, and then later rechristened L’Oréal. Charles Nestle invented the first permanent-wave machine in 1905. Madame C.J. Walker began selling hair care products for African-Americans in 1906, which later became a multimillion-dollar business. In 1917, the double-process blonding technique was invented, giving blondes worldwide more fun than ever!
Inspired by the vacuum-cleaner hose, the first hair dryer was invented in 1920, blowing away the old air-drying methods. By 1925, there were already 25,000 beauty parlors in the United States! Breck International set up shop in the 1930s. Sisters Maria and Rosie Carita opened a beauty salon in Paris in the 1940s. Present-day conditioner was created in the 1950s, when chemists discovered that ingredients used in fabric softeners could also soften hair.
The aerosol spray can was invented in 1956, making hair spray possible—and, therefore, probable. Redken popularized pH-balanced and protein-enriched shampoos for better conditioning in the 1960s. In 1971, the first hand-held blow-dryer limited trips to the salon by making it easy to simply “blow and go,” and a special iron was invented in 1972 by Geri Cusenza that crimped—but did not cramp—anyone’s style.
Hairstyles underwent rapid changes in the 20th century as well. Styles of the times reflected what was happening socially and were most often worn by icons of popular culture, which epitomized our ideals and our dreams.
Until, and through, the early 1900s, wealthy women had set the standard, donning hair jewels, bone combs, and veiled hats with lace, flowers, and feathers by day, and dusting their hair with silver and gold powders by night. A new look, created by Antoine of Paris, showcased hair parted in the middle and swept back in smooth bands over the ears. Edith Wharton sported a loose, wavy, poufy feminine look that also turned heads. In 1907, Josephine Baker’s sleek style and the Marcel wave cascaded over the United States and Europe. By 1910, American nurses in Europe had fed a copycat trend back home. They had cut their hair short to protect themselves from flea infestation and women in America began to do the same for fashion.
Louise Brooks’s 1917 bob became the most popular hair trend of the 1920s as women strove to express their freedom, shedding their corsets and entering the work force. The 1930s and 1940s found wartime citizens ogling the glamorous life. In 1931, Jean Harlow starred in Platinum Blonde and a hair color craze soon swept the nation and beyond. Also in the 1930s, child star Shirley Temple’s tight curls had grown women pinning their hair into ringlets. During the war, when the feminine ideal was largely expressed through movies and film magazines, women copied Hollywood hairdos. In the 1940s, Rita Hayworth made side-parted finger waves the sexiest style of her time, and Veronica Lake’s cascading blond hair redefined glamour.
By the 1950s, highlighting was the driving trend and so was Lucille Ball’s flaming mane. Doris Day’s helmet-hair inspired her fans, and Audrey Hepburn’s role in Roman Holiday mobilized the modern pixie cut. Brigitte Bardot’s “sauerkraut” (a.k.a. choucroute), a structured yet wavy ’do, was the one to emulate. Clairol’s “Does She or Doesn’t She?” advertising campaign reassured women that it was acceptable to color their hair. Housewives had a staid role in our 1950s and ’60s society, and their hairstyles revealed that fact. In the ’50s, the homemaker’s hairdo was conservative, and in the ’60s, women wore stiff Dynel wigs and toyed with the idea of wearing falls for Supremes-inspired styles. Toward the end of the era, beehives and bouffants became popular with the availability of hair spray and the trend toward a more carefree lifestyle.
The freedom of the 1960s was expressed even in popular hairstyles. People let their hair down and there was a distinct movement toward trading gender norms in hairstyles. British rock sensations the Beatles wore their hair long, a style generally out of fashion since the 19th century. Female model Twiggy wore hers short and boyish in a no-fuss fashion that abruptly ended the harsher ’50s styles.
In 1963, Vidal Sassoon started issuing easy, wash-and-dry looks. Nearing the end of the decade, hair was also worn naturally long with little or no preparation, symbolizing liberation on many fronts for men and women.
In the 1970s, the musical Hair hearkened back to the rebellious lifestyle and sexual revolution of the late 1960s and early ’70s, and Angela Davis’s Afro became a symbol of black pride. Extremes like Grace Jones’s forceful box cut and frosted wings defined the disco look, while Gloria Steinem’s simple straight hair with a center part offered an anti-style statement. In 1974, the feathered hair of Charlie’s Angels star Farrah Fawcett was the decade’s most copied ’do. Variations of African-American braids were popularized in 1975, and Dorothy Hamill’s short, layered wedge became a sporty trademark in 1976 after she won the Olympic gold medal for figure skating. But even as Dorothy spun, punk rock brought purple, blue, green, and orange Mohawks into focus. Cornrows were a “10” in 1979, à la Bo Derek.
In the 1980s, those newly prosperous from the economic boom opted for mall bangs, poodle perms, and voluminous hair. But Melanie Griffith showed that the first step on the woman’s career ladder involved the shortening and taming of such “big” hair in the hit ’80s movie Working Girl. Lady Diana’s 1981 wedding made commoners around the world realize that dreams do come true if you have a short, elegantly layered head of hair. In 1988, Sinead O’Connor’s shaved head, combined with her soft features, paved the way for all quiet, modern renegades, and dreads went glam as singer Lauryn Hill hit the charts that same year. Superstar Madonna started a revolutionary career with her controversial lyrics and stage moves and her wild, long, sometimes choppy, highlighted, root-infested tresses. The pop star exemplified a woman’s right and capability to change her appearance as often as she liked, as was evident in the endless hair colors and styles she sported throughout the decade and beyond.
Change was the mantra of supermodel Linda Evangelista in the early 1990s. Because she constantly varied her hair’s hue, length, and style, Linda’s pictures in national women’s magazines and her struts down designer catwalks were always anticipated. Anti-pop became popular itself in the 1990s, and grunge rocker Courtney Love’s dark-rooted platinum look started the 1990s off with a screaming rant. By 1994, more conservative masses had found their “friend” in Jennifer Aniston’s layered, angled shag cut. In the late ’90s, middle-parted, quick-styled, long, straight, pale blond hair rose to stardom on the heads of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Gwyneth Paltrow, perhaps in response to the 1995 international agreement to eliminate the production of chlorofluorocarbons found in aerosols, such as hair spray cans. At the turn of yet another millennium, actress Sarah Jessica Parker graced the small screen in an award-winning show, prompting a widespread adoption of her flowing, curly locks.
What Your Hair Says About Your Personality
From work to play, hair reveals a lot about how we perceive ourselves and how others view us. The right haircut, color, and style can take us to the top of the career ladder or to the altar, or can help us accomplish any of our professional and personal goals.
“Hair has two roles in the workplace,” says Paula Jaye, principal partner, Esposito/Jaye Associates, a New York-based management consulting firm. “First, it should project the image you want to achieve. If you work in a conservative environment, your hair should not draw attention to itself but blend in with the rest of your style. Go for a clean, crisp, well-put-together hairdo. If you work in the arts, media, or advertising, you can take more leeway and let your hair make more of a statement. Secondly, hair is directly connected to self-confidence. When hair is in good shape, beautifully cut, correctly colored, and you feel good about it, you will project confidence and grace. If your work is people-based and you are continuously meeting new clients, interacting with internal clients, and going to meetings, then having the right hairstyle can make you feel more confident.” Adds Jaye, “Keep in mind, however, that great-looking hair is just icing on the cake. It’s no substitute for having competence, skills, and the right technological background. But if all of these factors are in place, great hair will allow you to project more confidence as you deliver your message.”
“No one ever has a bad makeup day, only a bad hair day,” says Kathy Pomerantz, a New York City-based makeup designer. “And because hair is such a major factor in how we present ourselves, it’s the first thing we change when we’re ready for a new look.” We change our hair when we start a new job, end a relationship, or attend a special event. We even change our hair when we want to showcase a different part of our personality. And sometimes the way our hair looks changes our personality without our realizing it. “The emotional relationship we have with our hair and the way in which it ties in with our personality is fascinating,” says Ouidad, a New York City curly hair specialist. “Sometimes our hair is tamed, controlled, elegant, or easy, but sometimes it’s wild and uncontrollable. If we are uncomfortable with its appearance, we can exude a sense of insecurity.” Ouidad explains that unruly hair can cause subconscious mental discomfort, something that is obvious with curly hair that needs a lot of maintenance to control. She says even top lawyers feel they can’t argue a case if their hair isn’t done, and she cites a professor at Harvard who wears her hair pulled back while lecturing so students don’t get distracted by her curls. Ouidad believes curly haired women have an advantage since they can change their hair from curly to straight with a simple blow-dry and therefore change their entire personality. Yet, interestingly enough, most women turn a cold shoulder to the concept of utilizing modern technology to permanently straighten their curly locks. “Once you take away a woman’s right to constantly fight her hair, she feels like she has nothing to fight for anymore,” explains the stylist. “Women won’t part with their curly hair because they are afraid they will lose part of their personality and a sense of who they are in the process.”
Hair color also plays a role in defining a woman’s personality, according to a 1997 university research paper by experimental psychologist Dr. Tony Fallone, as cited in the Vogue Book of Blondes. The study indicates that blondes are more likely to be outgoing and lively and are perceived as more feminine than their brunette or redhead counterparts. Blond is not a color but a state of mind. The study continues that brunettes know allure because mystery is their secret weapon, but blond sexuality incorporates innocence and naïveté. Gentlemen, says Dr. Fallone, prefer blondes but marry brunettes.
“Hair is crucial to our state of mind,” says Aleta St. James, emotional healer in New York City. “And color is a tremendous indicator of energy. If our hair is the wrong color, or a shade that doesn’t complement our skin tone, we can feel uncomfortable about ourselves and not know why. When it’s the right color and complements skin tone, we feel a sense of buoyancy and lightness that can lift our self-esteem. Any woman who’s been through a situation where her hair colorist messed up on the formula, or her stylist has given her a bad haircut, understands this.”
According to St. James, brunettes who change to red can feel livelier, and redheads who opt for deeper shades of brown can feel more subdued. “While sometimes red hair needs to be toned down and less flamboyant, turning a redhead into a brunette can make her feel like her light went out,” explains St. James. The same applies to blondes. Darkening naturally blond hair can make a woman feel constricted, just as turning a brunette who wants to remain understated into a blonde can make her uncomfortable.
“Hair color should enhance a person’s inner spirit and complement their color palate, which very decisively determines mood,” says St. James. The same holds true for hair’s cut and style. “When hair gets too heavy and starts dragging, it’s easy to feel like we are dragging or feel droopy. And cutting hair really short can upset a lot of women. If a hair stylist isn’t listening to what we’re saying, it can really be upsetting. A bad haircut can also make us feel like staying home or wearing a hat until our hair grows out. Hair is an essential way in which we present ourselves, especially since it frames our face where most of self-expression takes place and where we communicate from.”
None of us can imagine the impact that hair has on our self-perception and self-esteem until it doesn’t live up to our expectations. A Yale University study conducted in the year 2000 showed that self-esteem and sociability of both men and women suffer when their hair is not at its best. According to the results, people feel less intelligent, less capable, more embarrassed, and less sociable. Men are more likely to be affected by a bad hair day than women are.
Jeffrey Paul, founder of Beautiful Hair Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, works with cancer patients and women who have lost hair due to other factors, says research shows that one out of every five women has hair problems that are not resolvable in the salon. In most cases, he believes women feel the loss of hair is greater than the disease itself. “Media projects what beautiful hair should look like, and women who don’t achieve it will sense their emotional levels drop,” says Paul. “This type of cosmetic stress affects women’s hormones, which in turn affects hair loss. Her immune system drops, and she can become weak, depressed, and more vulnerable to acne and other sicknesses. When put into perspective, it’s easy to recognize that it’s only hair we’re talking about. But it’s really not. Hair defines a woman’s frame, femininity, sexuality, and personality, and when pieced together properly in the overall image puzzle, it can make someone feel complete, whole, beautiful. People who are concerned with their hair constantly struggle with stress and spend tons of money trying to adjust. After all, one can’t achieve inner beauty until she feels comfortable on the outside.”
Hair Health
The quality and appearance of hair is influenced by overall health and diet as would be expected. Anorexics who starve themselves often have very fine, brittle hair, deficient in various minerals. Hair conveys information about a person and their state of health; further analysis of the hair can also tell what drugs they have taken. Long hair obviously suggests at least a recent history of good health.
“When I put people on diets one of first things they notice is the change in the quality of their hair,” says Sally Kravich, a certified natural health expert who has traveled around the world studying longevity. “There is a certain sheen and quality of thickness to it. The typical American diet of foods with little or no nutritional value directly affects hair, skin, and nails. We don’t get enough vegetables, whole grains, or good oils like avocado and olive oil, which can really make a difference. Instead, we load up on artificial sweeteners and diet sodas, which are some of the first products to make our hair fall out. And people think good hair is sexy, so if it looks bad, it’s really noticeable.”
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MYTH: Keeping hair clean on a daily basis is all that’s required for healthy hair.
FACT: Washing hair daily isn’t enough for most adults. Proper conditioning, brushing and combing, styling, and other treatments do help hair maintain its health and appearance. Knowing the right treatments and techniques makes the difference.
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“Once hair is damaged,” says Kravich, “there is no quick-fix pill, only combinations of the right vitamins and a proper diet that will restore hair’s natural health, volume, and luster.” Just like an animal’s coat, which looks healthier if the animal eats foods that are high in nutrients, minerals, and oils, basic things that will help hair include B-complex vitamins, minerals, and calcium to add thickness and shine. “Hair problems can also result from an unbalanced thyroid or hormonal changes, as in pregnant women,” says Kravich. “Pregnant women are advised to take prenatal vitamins, but they don’t always offer enough of what we need, such as folic acid.”
The fitness craze that has been booming since the ’80s has brought about a demand for a woman’s hairstyle to complement her lifestyle. Whether a woman is an avid exerciser or continually on-the-go, her haircut needs to be low maintenance and still look great. “Women are always in search of carefree hair,” says stylist and salon owner Paul Labrecque, who operates his salon under the roof of New York’s Reebok Fitness Club. “They want something that looks fabulous when you wash it, regardless of whether or not you roller-set it or blow-dry it.”
To give women what they want, Labrecque cuts wavy hair to accentuate the wave and to make it the feature of the hair instead of trying to pull the wave out and straighten hair. He cuts straight hair into a swingy line so that the straightness shows. Fitness fanatics, he says, can either go short or wear stretch bands to hold hair back. Adds Labrecque, “If you have a haircut that needs a lot of maintenance, it can slow down your lifestyle. You won’t be able to work out then go to dinner afterward because you will have to get ready for the second time that day. Women who live in cities move quite rapidly and don’t have time for this. They go from work into workout mode to play mode all within two hours. They have to make sure they’re not spending a lot of time changing their look.” He adds, “When hair looks healthy, you feel more beautiful. When you look your best, others perceive you that way.”
This is exactly why women make such a big deal over their hair on their wedding day. With a booming bridal business under her belt, Laura Geller, owner of Laura Geller Makeup Studio, New York City, knows the importance of wedding hair only too well. “Every bride sees her wedding day as a once-in-a-lifetime event, something she has thought and dreamed about all of her life,” says Geller. “The last thing she wants is a bad hair day on her wedding day when she’s in the spotlight. Hair is the first thing people see and it is the focus of the eye, especially if the bride wears a headpiece or veil.” Geller explains that the combination of the texture, color, length, and style all create the finished look, so it is understandable that many brides go through a number of trials until they get it right. “When hair is sloppy, it doesn’t sit well with the headpiece, or if the cut is bad, it shows in every picture,” says Geller. “People always compliment the bride when her hair is done right, far more often than commenting on a beautiful makeup job.”
The truth of the matter is, however, the groom will most likely still say “I do” whether or not every hair on his bride’s head is perfectly in place. It’s the guys who aren’t roped in yet that could have a problem with the cut or color of a woman’s coif. “If a woman has a gorgeous, striking head of hair, a guy will notice it right away,” says Susan Rabin, M.A., who has a master’s in counseling, and is the author of 101 Ways to Flirt and the director of School of Flirting and www.schoolofflirting.com. “Men like long hair better than short hair because it has a more teasing, sexual look. Hair is a flirting device, especially if you flip it, twirl it, toss it, stroke it, put your hand through it, and give off a more sensual vibe.”
Rabin, who cites Julia Roberts for her volume and Kim Delaney for her sometimes-curly, sometimes-straight locks as having head-turning tresses, explains that tousled hair can be sexier than hair that’s set in its place. “Guys see this as a turnoff,” she says, “a sign that a girl is high-maintenance and that she is too concerned with her appearance and not enough about what’s going on in the relationship.” Of course, adds Rabin, a certain amount of sexiness is obtained by good grooming—no one wants hair that’s dirty or too messy. “Women change their hair color all the time to attract different guys,” adds Rabin. “And if you get a bad haircut and don’t feel good about yourself, you won’t flirt as well.”
Your sex life can also be at stake. “Men say hair can be really arousing,” says Linda Banner, Ph.D., head of the Sexual Health and Medicine Program at UCSF and Stanford University, which focuses on identifying the effect of sexual arousal on the brain. “If a woman has long hair and it droops down creating a privacy veil that envelops the couple, intimacy can be more profound. Hair color can make a difference, too. Some men are turned on by redheads, some blondes, and others brunettes.” What doesn’t work: “Women who promote the don’t-touch-me attitude, or are so absolutely proper they always have every hair in place. Sex is all about touch, so the fresh-out-of-bed look is important. Men and women want to run their fingers through their partner’s hair. But if you’re untouchable, your whole sexual experience can be inhibited. Sex is supposed to be spontaneous, pleasurable, fun, playful.”
Some cultures consider women’s long hair to be so sexually provocative that it has to be covered up. Tightly controlled hair, which has been rolled, curled, and sprayed, suggests a controlled woman, specifically one who controls her sexuality. “The more confident you are in general, the more self-esteem you will have,” says Banner, “thereby enhancing your level of sexual pleasure and arousal.”
Hair will continue to shape culture, as we strive to emulate the latest pop icons and celebrity style. But what if our hair just isn’t conducive to the cut of the moment? What if it’s too thin, thick, curly, or straight to make it do whatever is “in” at the moment? There are many tools of the trade that will help your hair to behave. After all, maintaining healthy hair is the most important aspect to achieving beautiful hair that works for you.
Chapter 4
Hair Treatments
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Take a cue from celebrities who continuously change their hair color for film roles and public appearances. Gwyneth Paltrow, Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Renee Russo, and supermodel Linda Evangelista all know how much fun a new shade can be. After all, changing your color, adding a few highlights, curling, relaxing, or wearing your hair in braids can really add life to your hair and lift your mood. Most of these treatments involve chemical processes that can make your hair look amazing, but they can also cause major damage if used incorrectly. So follow these tips on how to have the look you love without sacrificing your locks.
Get Color Courageous
Letting people know you color your hair used to be almost as much of a taboo as talking about your sex life. Women only colored their hair if they wanted to completely change the color, or if they wanted to cover their gray. In the 21st century, however, with more than 50 percent of women in the United States coloring their hair, it’s not only acceptable, it’s a sign of being fashion forward and up with the trends. What’s more, it’s easy to do and less damaging to your hair than it was a couple of decades ago.
Color Maintenance
Since bleach and dyes can dry out hair and damage the cuticle, color-processed hair needs a little extra TLC. Avoid shampoos that contain Castille soaps or oil or glycerin, which may fade the color, or clarifying shampoos, which may strip the color. Your best bet is to choose a shampoo with extra conditioning properties. Companies such as Thermasik, Aveda, Revlon, Vidal Sassoon, and Artec offer these specialized formulas, and more and more color-maintenance lines are popping up regularly.
Finding a professional colorist is the key to soft, richly hued hair. Those colorists who have honed their skills are being well rewarded financially and raised to celebrity status. Therefore appointments often fill up months in advance. “A reputable colorist provides a very detailed consultation, taking the time to explain the techniques involved in the process,” says Bob Siebert, national director of education for Hans Schwarzkopf Professional. “A good colorist will also give you a road map for maintenance, explaining what you can do to maintain your color at home and make it last until you come in for your next visit, about five to six weeks later.”
It’s best to color your hair at a salon where experts use high-quality color and are experienced enough to know how to do it right—especially if you want a major change. For smaller jobs, like touching up your roots or covering gray, you can probably pull it off at home by reading the directions that come with the product.
Permanent hair color is the most popular because it lasts the longest, delivers all-over, even color, and creates the most dramatic change. How it works: In a single process, peroxide and ammonia are mixed. “The ammonia opens up the cuticle and allows the pigment to penetrate into the cortex where the natural pigment is,” says Siebert. “The melanin in your hair is oxidized and loses its natural color.” According to Siebert, this single process procedure is ideal for women who want to cover gray or lighten their hair a couple of shades from their natural color. Permanent color, however, is the most damaging to your hair, and can make it look flat and unnatural, requiring frequent touchups. Although the formulations vary in potency, most ammonia-containing brands dry out hair and cause it to frizz.
“Double processing—the most aggressive form of coloring hair—requires two steps,” explains Siebert. “First, hair is pre-lightened with lightening powder or bleach, then the color or highlights are applied afterward.”
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MYTH: Highlights and color need to be refreshed every three weeks.
FACT: Hair grows at different rates, and this affects how long color and highlights last. The color itself, and its difference from hair’s natural shade, plays a part in how frequently it needs revitalizing. Some women find they need roots “done” every two weeks; some can go a month.
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Highlighting involves coloring or lightening selected strands, leaving sections of natural color in between. Typically, a comb or brush is used to isolate pieces of hair with color. These pieces are then wrapped in foil so that the colorist can get really close to the roots without touching the scalp. Sometimes a freehand technique is used to paint the color onto the hair. “Highlighting and lowlighting give hair more dimension,” says Siebert. “Highlights brighten hair by adding light, while lowlights use darker tones to add depth to the hair.” The end result is a beautiful, subtly brighter head of hair, but the time-consuming process means you may not get to see it until you’ve been worked on for a couple of hours.
Salon Shades vs. Home Hues
“Everything from cell phones to cars to communication has taken an edge toward fashion. Hair color is the opposite; we have always had the artistic edge, but now we have the technology behind it,” says Deborah Gavin, a stylist and colorist at High Tech salon in Philadelphia. “From many women, hair color is an important expression of who they are and how they want the world to see them.” Here, she shares her top reasons for having hair professionally colored:
Professional color is more advanced and more durable.
With professional color, you’re not just paying for the hair color itself, but also for a colorist’s technical and application skills.
You are also getting the colorist’s ability to choose the right shade for your skin tone. When you do it yourself at home, what you see on the box isn’t exactly what you end up with.
“Most women aren’t skilled enough to apply their own color, especially because the angle is difficult. The only time it works is when you get lucky with it. Otherwise, it can look uneven and may deliver the message that you don’t care as much about how you look,” she says.
Professional hair color can be strategically placed. “Techniques for applying hair color are constantly evolving. Transformation color, one such method, involves using different shades of the same color on different sections of hair, depending on how you part your hair. “You can part your hair on one side and have the color there done in a natural shade of red, which may appear more conservative for work. Then, you can part your hair on the other side and color that section with a brighter shade for post-office hours.”
Some experts argue that at-home brands contain lesser percentages of color so that you need to buy more to achieve the color you desire. Others say it is dangerous for women to do their own color because most at-home versions come in shampoo form and, except for the first application, you really just need to touch up the roots. It is more damaging to shampoo over previously colored hair.
“Long-lasting semipermanent or demipermanent color is the quickest-growing color segment in the market for professional and retail color,” explains Siebert. “The benefit is that in most cases they are ammonia-free, so they are a little more gentle on hair. This is a great way for clients to try on color if they’re not ready to make a commitment; they fade out in 15 to 30 shampoos.” Semipermanent color penetrates the hair shaft and stains the cuticle, so it isn’t as dense as permanent color and it’s less noticeable when it fades. Semipermanent color can be used on permed hair and is applied in liquid, gel, or aerosol form. Demipermanent color is used to enhance your natural color and cover 75 percent of gray. But since it only deposits color without lifting your hair’s natural pigment, it won’t lighten your hair. So while that means you won’t have roots to contend with, it will probably fade within six weeks. If you have a fear of commitment, try a temporary color or a rinse, which washes out in three to seven shampoos. “These are made of 100 percent preoxidized pigments that are not mixed with developer or peroxide,” explains Siebert. “They stain the outer layer of hair, then wash away.” Often made of a vegetable dye base, temporary colors applied directly from the tube or bottle in the form of a rinse, gel, mousse, or spray. Funkier versions, such as hair mascara, are now available on the market, and can be fun for a night when you dare to go bold with your hair color.
Natural hair color is ideal for women who are allergic to aniline, a colorless liquid obtained from coal tar from which many hair colors and dyes are made. Reactions to aniline include itchy red patches and welts on the scalp. Natural colors stain the hair instead of dyeing it and don’t penetrate the hair shaft. While several hair color companies sell natural, commercial hair color, only pure Egyptian henna is truly organic. Made from the leaves of the lawsonia inermis plant, henna colors by coating the hair shaft and staining the cuticle. The color is unpredictable and hard to control and not for women with permed hair, since it can clash with the perming chemicals and cause discoloration. If you’re using henna at home, be sure to wear gloves so you don’t stain your hands.
In the 1960s, a hair technique called tipping was extremely popular. Using this method, bleach is applied only to the ends of the hair to make them a lighter shade than the rest of the head. Today, this method is often done using color instead of bleach. “Bleaching can be used in two different ways,” adds Amanda George, a colorist at Prive salon in Los Angeles, “for an overall blond effect à la Marilyn Monroe, or as a double-blonding process by lifting hair all over then bringing it up a tone to beige blond or platinum blond. When you color hair blond, there’s a limit to how light you can go, because it depends on how dark your hair is to begin with. If someone wants a really light shade of blond, pre-lighten with bleach, then add color. For a softer, honey blond, skip the bleach and use tint plus highlights to get the right shade.” At-home color is premixed and geared to cover a more generic range of shades, as opposed to salon color, which is individually mixed for you. Look for low-ammonia or low-peroxide products, which are gentler on your hair.
Which Coloring Technique Is Right for You?
Aside from the basic highlighting, Collin Lively, hair color director for Elizabeth Arden Red Door salon in New York City, helps us sort out the hair color methods you can choose from. Now, you’ll be able to follow all that colorist lingo without feeling in the dark.
Foiling: This technique achieves exact placement of color. Specific strands of hair are selected to receive the color. The color in the foil doesn’t touch any strands of hair outside the foil. The object is to create precise, multi-dimensional hair color. The end result: a very subtle look. Instead of foil, some colorists use plastic wrap or wax paper because they believe some foils, when interacting with certain hair colors, can create a chemical reaction on the hair that will end up looking brassy and may be damaging to the hair.
Hand-Painting: Hand-painting, which is done with a brush, strives for a diffused look. However, the residue from the painted areas is likely to bleed onto unpainted strands. Depending on your desired effect, this may be okay. But generally speaking, hand-painting techniques are always more obvious than foiling.
Baliage: A roll of cotton is set near the base of the hair at the scalp. Hair color is applied to is applied to alternate sections of hair, and hair with color is placed across the cotton so that it arches as it comes off the scalp. The cotton prevents colored hair from touching hair that’s not meant to be colored.
Frosting: This method is not as commonly used as it once was. It involves using a frosting cap (similar to a shower cap with holes in it). The cap is placed on the head and, using an instrument like a crochet hook, bits of hair are pulled through the holes in the cap. Hair color is applied to the top of the cap so that only selective strands are colored. The hair inside the cap will be protected. The result is multidimensional.
Choose a hair color kit that contains conditioning formulas that bind to the hair shaft and add moisture and shine. The dangerous thing about applying at-home color is that it’s easy to overlap your products. “The goal is to put color on new hair and use a different product on the ends than on the roots. If you double-apply product on hair that’s already been colored or permed, you can cause serious damage and breakage,” says Sibert.
“Looking at the shelves can be overwhelming,” says Julia Youssef, director of the technical center for L’Oréal. “It’s important to know your hair type and be able to identify your hair color the way it is at the present time. Look at the color chart on the box, and try to determine if your color is close to the swatch on the box. If it is, you will get the result that is promised. If the color of your hair isn’t identified on the box, that shade isn’t good for you.”
Once you are able to determine your initial hair color, know what you want. “You have to be able to say, I’m medium brown and I want to be a fiery redhead’ or ‘I’m dark blond and I want to be a light blond,’ or ‘I want to cover gray or add a bit of highlights to my medium brown hair,’” says Youssef.
“When determining their natural hair color, most people see their hair darker than it is,” adds Sandy St. Roi, senior manager of product evaluation for Clairol. “Women with medium brown hair always say they have dark brown hair, women with medium blond hair often call it dark blond. It’s vision lighting contrast. If you determine your natural hair too dark, you will choose the wrong indicator on the box.” Roi suggests thinking of your natural shade as one level lighter than what you think it is and selecting hair color that’s within two shades of your natural level. “If you’re dark blond, light blond is a good selection but don’t go to the lightest blond,” she says. Once you have determined your needs, choose the box that appeals to you the most and promises to take care of them. “If you want to cover a full head of gray, look for 100 percent coverage of gray,” suggests Youssef. “If the box says the color will gently chase away first grays, it’s not going to give you maximum gray coverage. If it says it gently boosts and brightens natural highlights, it won’t give you a drastic fashion change.” It’s also important to understand the type of color you are using, which is clearly marked on all at-home color boxes. Level three designates permanent hair color, designed to lighten or darken your shade and cover gray. Level two means semi- or demipermanent, or tone on tone, which is usually non-ammonia formula designed to enhance your current tone before it shampoos out within 28 shampoos. Level one, which isn’t as popular anymore, is a rinse or temporary color. Common mistakes to watch out for: “If you choose a hair color according to the visual on the box because you think it looks beautiful instead of really acknowledging your own hair color and what you want to achieve, you won’t get the color you’re looking for,” says Youssef “If you don’t leave the color on long enough because you don’t want it to get too dark, you won’t let it process correctly or completely and it won’t look even. It’s like taking a cake out of the oven before it’s baked.” L’Oréal’s automatic shut-off feature means that if the recommended time is 20-25 minutes and you leave it on for 35 minutes, you won’t have a problem. Youssef also advises that if you’re doing a touch-up, do the roots first instead of all-over color to give the roots a 15-minute head start.
If you’re doing your hair yourself, price is obviously a factor. “Most hair color costs ten dollars or less per box,” says Roi. One box usually means one application, but, according to Roi, what you should realize is that if your hair is below shoulder length, or if you are trying it for the first time and are likely to make mistakes, you may need two boxes. Clairol’s hair colors also include a patch test, which should be done prior to coloring hair to determine whether or not you are allergic to the color. They usually involve mixing a capful of color and developer, applying it to the inside of your elbow, and leaving it on for 48 hours to see your reaction.
“It’s important to color at least a week before a special event to get the look you want to achieve,” says Roi. At www.clairol.com, you can upload your picture and try on different colors. There are 590 shades and 159 hairstyles to choose from. Roi also advises current color users who want to make a major change—such as if you’ve been coloring your hair red and want to be a blonde—to refer to the company’s 800 number, since it’s a more complicated process. Experts can advise on removing the red tint before applying the new blond color and offer free personalized consultations to help you use the color correctly.
Companies like L’Oréal have been perfecting their home hair color systems for years with drip-free applicators, salon-quality gloves, fresh scents, and “color cues,” in addition to information designed to help you choose the shade that’s right for you. And in an attempt to offer women more intense, light-reflecting color, they have created illuminating and innovative new formulas that enhance color, make hair shine, and leave it looking natural. Other companies such as Schwarzkopf, which launched a new hair color with vitamin C, are going all out to protect against color fading. If you’ve tried making your own hair color, you’ve got too much time on your hands. It’s a tricky process that shouldn’t be messed with. But if you insist, try these tips for a cool new hue.
make your own
Homemade hair dyes: The hulls of black walnuts, which are sold in health food stores, can be pressed to produce a juice that dyes hair dark brown. Wear rubber gloves when applying because it stains skin, too. For a rich hue, combine 1 cup walnut juice, 1 tablespoon ethyl alcohol, and 1 tablespoon each of ground cinnamon and cloves in a screw-top jar. Let stand for a week, shaking daily, then strain through a cloth-lined sieve and add 1 teaspoon salt. Homemade hennas are a bit easier to concoct. To brighten dark hair, try regular-strength brewed chamomile tea; rosemary and sage teas brighten as they add glimmer. Leave on for a half hour, and then rinse with warm water. To liven light hair, or add a reddish shimmer to blond or light brown hair, try a final rinse of green pekoe tea. Or, combine 1 cup water with ½ cup strained lemon juice to bring a touch of sunshine to light hair.
Of course, there’s always the chance you might make a mistake. In that event, go to a pro. “Correcting color is one of the most rewarding things to execute,” says Siebert, who is accustomed to typically working with hair that’s been through many processes, and is regularly faced with the challenge of trying to make it look natural. “We try to create a uniform color result,” he says. “We analyze each different area of hair and determine what needs to be done, whether it’s lightening, overlightening, or prepigment. It’s not as simple as applying one color on the whole thing and fixing it. We have to take into consideration the quality and strength of the hair. Our objective is to take clients to their most natural, even color with the least amount of damage.”
Permanent Arrest
Perming is a chemical process that breaks the bonds in the hair’s structure and reestablishes them in the shape of curls. When the process was first introduced to the general public more than seventy years ago, it was a dream come true for straight-haired women bored with their stick-straight locks and tired of all the effort it took to make their hair look a little livelier. Then, twenty years ago, body waves came on the scene, a milder form of the perm, which was created to add lift and body to thin, flat hair. “Perms aren’t as popular now as they used to be,” says Carmine Minardi of New York’s Minardi Salon. “They used to make hair appear thicker or fatter. But hair color, highlights, and bleach all have an alkaline base, and this fattens the hair shaft. By coloring the hair shaft, you get a two-for-one deal, both color and body.” Minardi warns that perms on top of color may be too much for your hair to handle. “Not all perms work well with color, so stay away from perms if you’re using bleach or color. Use curling irons or other styling tools instead.” Any perm veteran will wrinkle up her nose at the mere mention of the word perm—a term that is sure to conjure up smells of the intense perming solution that was used in the process in the old days when nitric acid and heat were used to wave hair. These days, perming formulas are more pleasantly scented and less harsh on your hair. In addition, stylists can use them to control the area of hair they want to perm and the softness of the curl. “It’s about changing the bonds you were born with,” says Minardi. “These disulfonic bonds are arranged like the rungs of a ladder in the hair shaft. Hair is wrapped around a curling rod, using a small rod for a tight curl or a larger rod for a looser curl. Ammonia or the sulfurbased chemical thioglycolate is applied to break the bonds of the hair and relax it, then a neutralizer is used to reattach the bonds in a new configuration and harden that new formation to create the curl.”
Gentler perming solutions from companies like Zotos, Helene Curtis, and Senscience can be found in salons where they are used by experts who have mastered the application of these potent formulas. If you insist on administering your perm yourself, choose a solution that’s thioglycolate-free and contains conditioner to soften hair.
At-home perms may save you a few bucks but can be tricky to choose and to self-administer. “In choosing an at-home perm, we want women to think about what they’re doing to their hair, what they have done to their hair before, and what they want to accomplish now,” says Adrienne Kent, marketing assistant for Colomer USA, the makers of Great Feeling, Equave, and Sensor perms in the Roux collection. “Go to a beauty supply store, look at the perm boxes, read the directions, then go home and call the 800 number on the box and ask all of your questions before you do it. Seek as much professional advice as you can before you do it to help achieve a better end result.” Kent says it’s also a good idea to get a consultation at a salon before doing it yourself.
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Straightening or relaxing hair can be a complex procedure, best undertaken by professionals.
Once you decide to take the plunge, follow the instructions carefully. After all, Roux perming instructions are always bi- or trilingual, with explanations in English, Spanish, and French to make sure you really understand what you’re doing. “Do a strand test, follow the diagrams, which show you how to mix the solution, apply it, and roll your hair. Carefully monitor the timing suggested in the instructions, and read about what to do if you feel a tingling or burning sensation, so that you’re prepared to handle it,” says Kent.
Why all the caution? “Overprocessing is the biggest mistake,” says Kent. “Some women tend to allow the perm to stay on too long or use the perming solution when they shouldn’t because their hair has already been through a lot or is overprocessed.” The bottom line: Know what your hair has been through and where you are taking it. “Perms last until the entire length of your hair grows out or until you cut it,” says Oscar Bond, owner, Oscar Bond salon in New York City. “You don’t have to do anything to maintain your perm, but you should make an effort to maintain the condition of your hair by using extra conditioning treatments on a regular basis.” Bond advises cutting off permed hair before getting a new perm or introducing your hair to other chemical processes.
Just Relax
Like perming, relaxing involves breaking the hair’s natural bonds to eliminate any wave or curl. But instead of restructuring the bonds into a curlier configuration, the curls are loosened and the hair becomes stickstraight. Relaxing is popular among African-American women whose hair is most naturally curly.
Thinking of relaxing your hair yourself? Think again. “Relaxing your hair involves serious chemicals, and if you try it at home you can get severely burned,” warns Valerie Estrada, master stylist, Allure Day Spa and Hair Salon in New York. “When using a relaxer, it’s also possible to seriously damage your hair. You can miss pieces because you’re not familiar with the proper technique, and if your hair is overporous and overly processed, it may break off.” Estrada suggests going to a stylist who knows the history of your hair and can decide which product is best for you. Cream relaxers are often used on coarse hair because they totally relax the cuticle so that it’s easier to blow out or flat iron. They make unruly hair easier to manage and help your newly straightened hair last longer. How it works: A cream or oil is applied to your scalp for protection, then chemicals are worked into your dry hair one section at a time. The hair will process until it’s as straight as you want, then a neutralizer will stop the process. Three different strengths are available to target different hair types: mild, medium, and coarse. Estrada advises stopping by the salon to retouch the newly grown hair every six to eight weeks to ensure that hair is in good condition and steering clear of relaxers if your hair is already colored or bleached.
Reverse perms, according to Estrada, are another option and use liquid relaxing formulas instead of heavy creams. “Reverse perms relax your curl so it stays straight when you blow-dry your hair, but if you decide to let your hair dry naturally, you end up with a totally softened curl,” she says. “This is great for people with soft wavy or soft curly hair who want to soften their curl, make it appear longer, and take out the frizz and can be redone every three to four months to maintain the look and texture of your hair.” The big news in hair straightening these days is the Japanese straightening system, which is only available in salons. Chemicals are applied to the hair to relax it and then a flat iron is used to totally kill your curls so that you can wash hair, let it dry, and it remains completely straight for up to a year. Imagine how much more free time you’ll have without having to blow-dry.
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Braiding can be a beautiful, neat, and classic way to style longer hair.
The Braid Brigade
Centuries ago, people used to keep their hair under control by braiding it and keeping it close to the head in a decorative style. These days, new techniques and styles have made braiding popular again.
Think back to arts-and-crafts hour at summer camp. “Braiding is like macramé,” says Paul Labrecque, of the Paul Labrecque Salon in New York. “But instead of using rope to make knots you are twisting hair together using two or more strands of hair to make interesting shapes on the head.”
There are many types of braids: two-stranded braids, three-stranded braids, fishtails, French braids, inverted cornrows, the list goes on. To extend the length of your hair and give it a completely different look, fake hair can be added to your own hair and interlocked in a braid. Braids can be left loose on the head or can hug it tight to add style or create an interesting look. Before you leave the salon, make sure braids aren’t too tight or they will feel uncomfortable and put a strain on your hair, causing breakage. But the looser the braids are, the more frequently you will need to have them done. Sometimes wet hair is braided and allowed to dry so that when the braid is removed, the hair has a crimped effect. This is a great way to style hair without using heat or chemicals and is less damaging. According to Labrecque, you can wash your hair and scalp once a week with braids in. If left in too long, braids may start to dreadlock and can damage hair. If your scalp starts to itch or flake while your braids are in, pour some SeaBreeze or witch hazel on a cotton ball and dab it on your scalp to take away the itch and dry, flaky skin.
We no longer have to settle for the type of hair we have—we can straighten it, curl it, color it, highlight it, or even braid it. But sometimes we are looking for a quick and temporary change that won’t necessarily need to grow out. Like shopping for the latest trend, we want to try out a new color or style without having to commit to that look for a long period of time.
In Transition: How to Camouflage Your Growing Color
“The level of maintenance your hair requires depends a lot on the color of your natural hair and how dramatic the color is that you add to it,” says Leslie Louise, hair colorist, Miwa Alex salon in New York City. “When I’m talking to clients about the color they want, maintenance is an essential topic. a good color job should last about six weeks, but it really depends on the individual and how fast her hair grows.”
The bottom line: Those last couple of weeks before your next appointment can be brutal. Women have been known to try everything to camouflage their color, even coloring the hair at the roots with eye shadow or mascara in the same color family as their processed hair! Bad idea. These products were not made for your hair. Your best bet? Follow these tried-and-true maintenance tips:
If you usually get your hair highlighted, have a single process done twice before you make an appointed for highlights again to lighten the base. “It’s better for your hair,” says Louise, “less costly, and easier to maintain the color.”
Ask your colorist about color shampoos and conditioners, which tent to deposit a little color into new growth to create the appearance of a little more color at the base. “This will help take you through a few more weeks,” says Louise.
Try highlighting shampoos and conditioners. They contain peroxide which, says Louise, can lighten your hair when you use a blow-dryer or go out in the sun. “They’re fairly mild but they lift the color just a little.”
Chapter 7
How Medical Conditions Affect Hair and What You Can Do About Them
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Sometimes having a bad hair day isn’t simply a matter of an unruly wave or a little frizz. Occasionally, hair trouble can be a result of something else that’s going on in your body. Medical conditions like metabolic dysfunction or illness can lead to thinning hair or hair loss or have some other, more subtle effect. Anemia, thyroid dysfunction, hormonal disturbances, and nutritional inadequacies affect hair the most, but unless other symptoms can be identified, it is difficult to recognize that hair problems are due to illness. The effects of fever, accidents, surgery, or pregnancy are other overlooked reasons for hair trouble. Too often physicians chalk up the hair loss problem to genetics when it could be a result of illness or medication. So before you seek revenge on your hairstylist, you might want to give your doctor a call.
Thanks, Mom! It’s All in Your Genes
So when is hair loss a genetic issue? “If a woman comes to see me, the first thing I ask is whether or not anyone in her family has been affected by hair thinning or loss,” says Dr. Shelly Friedman, president of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, who claims his grandmother suffered from the problem but no one could ever tell since she always wore her hair up. “Your hair gets its longevity from one side of your family and its texture and color from another, so you can have curly hair that’s destined to live forever or straight hair that’s destined to die by thirty-five. If the woman tells me no other female members of her family have hair loss, then I look at the possible medical reasons.”
Rx for Your Tresses: Medical Conditions and Your Hair
As if it isn’t horrifying enough to be diagnosed with a medical condition, imagine being diagnosed with a problem that cites hair loss as a side effect. Though modern science is rapidly plugging away to find a solution, sometimes the hair issue can’t even be treated, because the treatment could interfere with the medications you are taking for the initial problem.
Philip Kingsley says, below-normal hemoglobin levels and below-average levels of iron storage can make your hair thin. A well-balanced diet, including vitamins and supplements, can help reverse the effect.
Kingsley, who also studied PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), noticed an incidence of women’s hair loss with the disorder. In a study of women in London, 68 percent of women with thin hair had PCOS. Stress, which seems to be the root of all of our problems these days, is actually one of the biggest reasons for hair loss. Experts say that stress produces adrenaline, which can lead to the production of cholesterol and testosterone. If your hair follicles are sensitive to testosterone, hair thinning can occur. Lupus, an autoimmune disease, develops antibodies to its own cells and can, therefore, form antibodies to cells in the hair follicle.
Most common in middle-aged women, neurodermatitis is recognized by hard, patchy scaling above the nape of the neck at the base of the scalp. It itches drastically and scratching only makes it worse. Often confused with dandruff, neurodermatitis can go untreated. Kingsley suggests trying antidandruff shampoo or sulfur and salicylic acid cream or seeing a dermatologist for more advanced care.
Pityriasis amientacea is a thick scaling common in women in their forties and fifties and consists of adherent flakes climbing up the hair shaft. While often misdiagnosed, if treated correctly, it can be cured, but when neglected, it can cause hair loss.
Contact dermatitis is a recurrent scaly condition caused by an allergy to a certain product, like hair color. Since it usually flares up after the product has been applied, it is often easy to recognize.
Some other scalp conditions, according to Kingsley, may also be present but are extremely rare. Various folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles caused by infection or the long-term use of a greasy product on the scalp. Rosacea can show up on the scalp in red blotches. And lichen simplex is a thickening of the skin on the scalp, caused by constant rubbing of the skin when it’s itchy and flaky. In all cases, Kingsley advises immediate treatment by a professional.
According to Jeffrey Epstein, M.D., D.A.C.S., a doctor in private practice in Miami, Florida, diet binges are another culprit. Excessive dieting or eating disorders can cause a nutritional deficiency, which may limit the transport of nutrients to the scalp and cause hair follicles to die and fall out.
Of all the medical conditions and treatments that alter the state of the body and may cause hair loss, the most well known is chemotherapy, which is a common treatment for most types of cancer. It causes the most drastic of hair conditions—from balding in certain areas to complete hair loss.
“When cancer is present, the cancerous cells grow at a higher rate and replicate too quickly,” explains Dr. Robert Guida, director of facial and plastic surgery at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Chemotherapy causes cell destruction by blocking the cells and keeping them from regenerating. Cancer cells pick up chemotherapy agents quicker than normal cells but healthy cells are also affected. In addition, the toxins from the chemotherapy are damaging to the hair follicles.” Scientists are now studying genes that they hope will be used one day to make chemotherapy agents specific to particular cancer cells to prohibit them from affecting different areas of the body.
Hormonal Havoc: Getting Your Hair Through Pregnancy, Nursing, and Menopause
Any woman who has encountered hormonal changes, whether in the form of puberty, pregnancy, or menopause, knows that hormones drastically affect us physically and emotionally. Hair loss is no exception. In pregnancy, mild degrees of hirsutism, male patterns of hair growth, can be found, making the proportion of hair in the growing phase during pregnancy lighter than that in the resting phase. “Certain hormones make hair follicles fall out as a group in a particular area, while normal follicles tend to fall out in separate intervals,” explains Albert George Thomas, clinical associate professor of OB/GYN and director of family-planning services at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. “In the process, neighboring hair will cover empty spaces where hair has been lost. The process is reversed when hair grows and it’s time for the alternate hair to fall out.” Thomas, who is careful not to minimize the effects on the occasional patient who has severe hair loss, adds that while certain drugs might help retard the loss of hair on the scalp, gynecologists don’t recommend using any medications during pregnancy even if it seems like the benefits will far outweigh any risks.
Hair loss is also seen during the postpartum period for about three to four months following delivery. “In pregnancy, there are high levels of estrogen and progesterone, which are responsible for hair loss,” says Thomas. “In the postpartum phase, when breast-feeding is on demand around the clock, estrogen levels are lowered and eventually return to normal and hair grows back.” Normal hair growth will occur six to fifteen months postpartum and it’s usually not as thick as it was before pregnancy. This shedding process represents the reactivation of the hair follicle followed by new growth. “Some women are put on birth control pills to help stabilize postpartum hormonal balance and stimulate hair regrowth,” says Sharon Weiner, M.D., a Los Angeles-based OB/GYN. “The nursing period is still a time of fluctuation.”
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MYTH: Women experience hair thinning the same way men do.
FACT: Unlike men, who get bald spots, women experience diffused thinning, particularly in the crown and temporal areas of the scalp.
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Weiner says it’s difficult to know how each woman reacts to oral contraception. “Some say their hair feels better, and gets thicker and stronger, while others say they feel their hair is thinning,” she says. “It’s a matter of individualizing the pill and finding the rate of estrogen and progesterone that’s right for each woman.” Menopause and perimenopause bring about other issues. In menopause, the amount of estrogen decreases and the level of androgens increases. “This concentric recruitment makes all of the hair follicles fall out as a group,” says Thomas.
“Postmenopause, there is a fine balance between estrogen and testosterone, which comes with an elevated risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and hair loss,” says Dr. Epstein. “There is often a greater percentage of testosterone compared to estrogen, which may not be an actual elevation in testosterone but merely a depression or decrease in estrogen levels.” “Women face many hair problems as they go through menopause and we are undertaking extensive research right now to learn more about it,” says Dr. Weiner, who says she is hearing complaints of hair loss from women even under the age of forty. She is currently investigating the combination of hormones and genetics and their effects on hair loss to advise patients better on which combination of hormones to take.
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MYTH: Stress causes permanent hair loss.
FACT: Although it’s true that stress can be a factor in the temporary thinning of hair, it has no lasting effect on the condition of the hair. Once stress is treated, thinning no longer occurs as a symptom of that condition.
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The Great Depression
Hair loss can be a devastating thing, both physically and emotionally. So it’s understandable why many women who experience it often seek counseling to soothe their state of mind. Unfortunately, there aren’t many proven treatments available. According to a panel of mental health experts reporting in the February 1997 Journal of the American Medical Association, depression has been undertreated in the United States, either because doctors don’t have the necessary training to effectively treat it or because they may not view the condition seriously enough. Some studies have shown that only one in ten Americans with depression receive adequate treatment. When left untreated, depression can interfere with personal relationships and job performance and can increase your risk for other illnesses, according to a panel organized by the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association. It’s the fourth-leading public health problem in the world, yet only one in every three people suffering from depression ever seeks help.
“One of most traumatic situations for a woman to deal with is when she starts losing her hair,” says Aleta St. James, a New York City-based emotional healer, who councils women on what they can do about it. “As a woman, this is a very difficult challenge, but there are ways around it.” On a practical level, St. James suggests that women get a wig to wear until their hair starts to grow in again to make them feel pretty and attractive. In addition, she recommends concentrated efforts that will emotionally and spiritually help them release feelings that if they aren’t pretty, they are unlovable. “I try to help women deal with their self-consciousness, the feeling that everyone is looking at them because there’s something wrong with them,” says St. James. “I try to teach them how to release that idea and understand that most people have empathy.” Her advice: When you start to feel someone is looking at you as if they think there’s something wrong with you, take a deep breath and release that feeling; then declare to yourself that the spirit in you honors the spirit in them. This will help make you feel connected to people rather than feeling separated from them and will give you a sense of calmness. “Reframe your relationship with these people,” she adds. “Instead of seeing them as enemies or people who criticize you and make you feel small, see them as being connected to you in spirit.” To test-drive St. James’s mood-lifting techniques, try this visualization exercise: Close your eyes and visualize a gold-colored light coming into the top of your head. Concentrate on your negative feeling strongly and breathe that gold light into the part of your body where the feeling is stuck. Hold for a count of three and release. If you can visualize the gold light and pair it with the breath in your chest, heart, or throat area, you have targeted the grief. As you release your breath and the color, release your negative emotion. On the next inhale, think of something that gives you a strong feeling of love and draw that feeling into your body. Continue until the negative feeling has completely disappeared. Think about parts of yourself that you feel are attractive and embellish on those to obtain a true positive light.
St. James acknowledges that you may not be the only one who needs help in this department. “If someone is being critical of you, instead of feeling diminished and dosed down, send them love,” she continues. “Realize that most of these people would probably be terrified if this happened to them. Think of a pink sun right in your heart and send it to the person. This will stop you from feeling bad and from trying to defend yourself and make you realize that you can make a difference in their lives.”
This Is Your Hair—On Drugs
The next time you pop an aspirin, take a good look in the mirror first. Even this common medication can cause scalp flaking, itching, and inflammation. If you are prone to asthma, hay fever, or eczema, you may even be more exposed to these effects. In fact, many routinely prescribed prescription and nonprescription drugs can cause temporary hair loss, aggravate female pattern baldness, trigger its onset, and cause permanent hair loss. Ask your physician if you can substitute one of these medications for a drug that doesn’t have hair-loss side effects or use a natural treatment instead.
Acne drugs like Accutane, a derivative of vitamin A, may cause extensive drying of the scalp and other body surfaces, resulting in hair loss. The average prescribed dosage is often taken over the course of sixteen weeks, but a substantial amount of hair falls out toward the final weeks and usually grows back afterward.
Antibiotics can cause redness, tenderness, and flaking of the scalp if used over a long period of time. Anticoagulants like panwarfin, sofarin, coumadin, and heparin injections block dotting factors, so some believe they increase circulation to bring nutrients to the scalp.
Birth control pills contain hormones like estrogen, which can improve the appearance of your hair. Stop taking birth control pills, and there’s a chance you could experience hair loss. But don’t despair; it will only last about six months. Hormone-containing drugs and drugs prescribed for hormone-related reproductive conditions can potentially cause hair loss. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for postmenopausal women contains estrogen and/or progesterone, which can be metabolized into androgenic compounds, such as testosterone; anabolic steroids and prednisone can have similar effects.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs and convulsion/epilepsy anticonvulsants can cause hair loss. Antidepression medications, including Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil, amphetamines used for dieting, and antifungals also trigger hair loss. Beta-blocker drugs, used to treat glaucoma and high blood pressure, can make hair fall out. Anti-inflammatory drugs, including those prescribed for localized pain, swelling, and injury, can help reduce scalp inflammation and help hair grow. Levadopa, administered for Parkinson’s disease, can cause hair loss, too.
When it comes to thyroid imbalances, common treatment drugs such as Eltroxin Â (synthroid) and Tertroxin Â (euthroid) need to be monitored carefully because an overdose or underdose can cause hair loss. Sedatives, tranquilizers, and barbiturates, taken over a long period of time, can cause redness or flaking of the scalp as well as thinning hair. Some also cause the scalp to be extra sensitive to sunlight. Many drugs used to treat stomach difficulties and ulcers can also affect hair loss.
Vitamins, often only thought of as beneficial, can also have some negative effects when it comes to your hair. Excessive doses of vitamin A (anything over 2,500 i.u. a day to 5,000 i.u. maximum) can make hair fall out. In addition, large doses of vitamin C can result in redness, flakiness, or itchiness of the scalp and skin, and vitamin E can prevent adequate iron absorption, leading to hair loss.
Once you realize that your hair is thinning or falling out, it’s important to consider your treatment options, which include hair regrowth products, physical hair additions, and surgery.
Chapter 13
Natural and Nutritional Treatments
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If you knew then that taking your vitamins could essentially help you hold on to your hair for a longer period of time, you just may have listened to your mom while growing up. But don’t panic, there’s still time to take action. When treating hair loss, if all other therapies have failed, try herbal and homeopathic remedies.
All Natural
“There are vitamins, herbs, and supplements, like vitamin E, gingko biloba, and certain antioxidants that may or may not help with male pattern baldness, but there are no satisfactory clinical studies to substantiate any claim,” says Shelly Friedman. “But although there’s no proof that vitamin E, gingko biloba, and grapeseed extract actually cause hair growth, there is no downside in taking these supplements as long as you take them in the suggested daily quantities that are recommended by the manufacturer. They can be used in addition to any of the above therapies.” Bergfeld shares a similar philosophy. “There are many herbals with anti-androgen activity, which may be theoretically helpful, but there is no science applied to them,” she explains. “Most were produced to compete with minoxidil. For example, vitamins such as vitamin B-complex and zinc appear to be nutrients and act as blockades for the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.”
Top Ten Healthy Hair Foods
Salmon, cold-water fish, sardines
Eggs
Lentils
Wheat bran and germ
Kale, spinach, watercress
Unpolished rice
Cantaloupe
Blueberries
Citrus fruits
Seaweed
Women who are first embarking on supplemental programs should start slowly, recommends Oz Garcia, a nutritional consultant. “The dosages can be increased after a couple of weeks when you see how your body is reacting,” he says. Some antioxidants he recommends include a high quality vitamin E (about 200 i.u. per day) to reduce inflammation, alpha lipoic acid (about 25 mg per day) to protect cell membranes and make other antioxidants work harder, vitamin C, ascorbic acid (about 500 mg of ester C to start). He also recommends that postmenopausal women take a high-quality antioxidant formula, like the Life Extension mix, once a day to start off their supplemental program. “Women are concerned when their hair starts thinning or loses luster,” explains chiropractor and nutritionist Mitch Peritz. “It’s important to consider what you’re doing with your diet, add substances that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and glycating effects as well as alter your diet and add supplements that strengthen the hair.”
Peritz discusses a range of supplements that are helpful in fighting hair loss, including biotin (1,000 micrograms per day), pantothenic acid (500 mg per day), vitamin B5, MSM sulfur (2,000 mg per day), and silica (500 mg per day), which comes in tablet or liquid form and strengthens hair in other ways. Biotin, which can be taken orally or injected, and dexpanthenol strengthen hair; sulfur-based amino acids, such as MSM cysteine, which comes in tablet or liquid form, are great for strengthening skin, nails, and hair. In fact, it was originally found by veterinarians who added it to the feed of horses and dogs and watched their hair and pelts get thicker. While you may be used to popping a pill or two to start your day, keep in mind that some of these supplements and nutrients come in an injectable form and can be taken via the recently popularized practice of mesotherapy. According to Lionel Bissoon, a mesotherapist based in New York City and West Palm Beach, Florida, biotin is known to be used to treat hair loss in shampoos and now can be acquired through mesotherapy. He says, “Michael Pistor, M.D., the founder of mesotherapy, recommends multiple injections of biotin and dexapanthenol into the scalp to give the hair and scalp the essential nutrients required for the metabolism of molecules. Some people add zinc to help build the immune system simultaneously.”
Top 12 Snacks for Super Hair
Almonds
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Figs
Apricots
Bananas
Raspberries or strawberries
Oranges
Raisins
Prunes
Skim milk, soy latte decaf, or 4 oz frozen or regular low-fat yogurt
Small box whole-grain cereal or whole-grain snack bar
Herbal Treatment List
Herbs, botanicals, and nutrients have been proven very effective for use alone or in conjunction with pharmaceutical drugs and hair transplantation surgeries. Check with your doctor, then try these options:
Saw Palmetto (Serenosa repens): Extract of the berries of the saw palmetto shrub slows hair loss and encourages hair regrowth. Instead of inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase, it prevents DHT from binding to the receptor sites at the prostate and hair follicles. There are no side effects, except for decreased sexual function in men, as seen with Propecia. Use saw palmetto capsules made from the berry extract that are labeled concentrated and purified with 85-95 percent fatty acids and sterols. Take one 160 mg pill in the morning and one at night.
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis): Green tea contains catechins, which inhibit 5-alpha-reductase and prevent the production of DHT. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants, which make it effective in treating male pattern baldness. Made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant, it can be taken as a drink or in capsule form and has no side effects.
Pygeum (Pygeum africanum): From the African evergreen, pygeum inhibits 5-alpha-reductase to improve male pattern baldness. Make sure the label lists a beta sterol count of 13 percent; take 60-500 mg per day in pill or capsule form.
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioico): Long used to improve the health of skin and hair, stinging nettle enhances the effects of pygeum. Take 50-100 mg per day in pill or capsule form.
Zinc: Mineral zinc inhibits the activity of 5-alpha-reductase as well as the ability of testosterone and DHT to bind to your cell’s receptors, protecting the follicles from DHT and allowing for increased excretion of these hormones. The bottom line: It helps prevent and treat male pattern baldness. For optimal absorption, take 60 mg per day of zinc picolinate for six months in pill or capsule form.
Don’t Eat the Oatmeal
Oatmeal may be one of your favorite breakfast, but if you want to do right by your hair, besides eating it, wear it. Oatmeal soaps and scrubs are known foe exfoliating dead, scaly skin cells that can accumulate on the scalp and soothing dry, itchy skin, dry hair, and dry scalp. Hydrolized oat protein is also an effective volumizer because it penetrates the hair shaft and reduces flyaway hair.
That’s Life
The way you live your life definitely affects the rate at which you lose your hair, mainly because stress can increase hair thinning and loss, so if you’re less stressed, you might have a few extra years under cover. Environmental factors, such as exposure to pollution or toxic chemicals, can cause hair loss. Women who take birth control pills may be depleting the body of B vitamins. Those who drink alcohol and smoke deplete minerals from their bodies, which are imperative to maintaining an optimal hair lifespan. In addition, according to Mitch Peritz, daily scalp massage is recommended to increase blood flow to the scalp, as will lying down on a slant board with your head down for 15 minutes per day.
Watch What You Eat
Top 10 Foods for Shine
Ground flax seed or oil
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Olive oil
Evening primrose oil
Ginger
Prunes
Seafood
Apples
Chickpeas
Food plays a role in the effectiveness of drug and herbal therapies when treating hair loss, so it’s important to utilize food for its medicinal healing. In addition, excessive dieting or eating disorders can cause a nutritional deficiency, so it’s necessary to follow certain dietary guidelines in order to protect and strengthen your hair. For example, a balanced nutritional program is essential, and since hair is made up of protein, it needs as much as possible to keep it strong. Sulfur-rich foods like beans, milk, dairy products, fish, and eggs are the basis of a healthy diet since cysteine, one of the building blocks of the hair shaft, is made of sulfur-rich amino acids. Vitamins, especially B-complex—which includes biotin—and vitamins A and C are important, as is flaxseed oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids to improve circulation and feed the root. Wheat germ oil, which is rich in vitamin F, provides essential fatty acids to build hair. Most medical experts have their own idea of what works when it comes to diet. Here are some of their views on healthy diet programs that can make your hair stronger and look its best.
Oz Garcia, nutritional consultant and author of The Healthy High-Tech Body: “The most successful way of eating if you are interested in conserving the tissue of your skin and hair is with a wide variety of longevity nutrients and a high amount of omega-3 fats. The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids come from fish (salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, mackerel, and swordfish) because of the density of omega-3 fats they carry. Omega-3 fatty acids allow your body to produce all of the hormones that affect the quality of your skin and hair and work as potent lubricants for your scalp. Land-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids include olive oil, flax oil, canola oil, walnuts, and pecans.”
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MYTH: Natural hair care products are better than “manufactured” products.
FACT: Organic products don’t automatically mean better products. Organic products contain chemicals. Using something labeled organic or natural doesn’t mean allergic reactions or other problems are eliminated.
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Garcia recommends a diet that is extremely high in a wide variety of nutrient-packed fresh, raw, and cooked vegetables, which promote longevity. Broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, string beans, mushrooms, watercress, kale, and bok choy are beneficial on a daily basis. “Low-impact, low-glycemic carbs like rices, yams, and squashes are better for you,” he says. “Be careful with high-glycemic and inflammatory carbs: pasta, bread, muffins, bagels, cookies, crackers, and cakes. They are all pro-inflammatory and tend to accelerate hair loss.”
It’s also important to protect against free radicals, which can damage skin and hair through oxidation, says Garcia. “Anything you consume can produce inflammatory damage caused by a retention of fluids, so that tissue may rupture and burst. It’s necessary to try to control the damage of sugar in the body through glycation. Sugar molecules blend with our own tissue and cause hair follicles to age prematurely and fall out. We need to control oxidation, inflammation, and glycation through diet and supplementation.”
Mitch Peritz, chiropractor and nutritionist: “Diet and nutrition is very important to maintain hair integrity. Eliminating refined foods and hydrogenated oils from the diet will help to decrease the chance of hair loss. It is important to consume a balanced diet of complex carbohydrates, protein, vegetables, and fruit to optimize the availability of nutrients, which are imperative to hair homeostasis. Essential fatty acids, including omega-3, -6, -7 and -9 should be supplemented as well. These fatty acids play a role in preventing depression and hair loss. Vegan diets are often deficient in vitamin B12 and zinc. Other things, such as B vitamins, specifically biotin (B6), folk acid (B12), and vitamin C, and minerals, including zinc, chromium, and vanadyl sulfate all play a role in stress and depression, which contribute to hair loss. High quality omega-3 fatty acids like flavored cod liver oil (try a teaspoon a day of the orange or cherry flavor from Twin Labs) will add luster. Try it for ninety days and you’ll really notice a change in the quality of your hair. As far as maintaining the proper protein/carb balance, try the formula promoted by the Zone diet, which consists of 40 percent carbs, taken primarily from veggies, fruits, and low-glycemic starches, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat.”
Did You Take Your Multivitamin Today?
“There’s a cross-section of nutrients in a multivitamin that you need to maintain healthy tissues and organs throughout the body, including hair,” says Jerry Hickey, nutritional pharmacist, president of Hickey Chemists and chairman of the Society of Natural Pharmacists. “Hair just won’t look healthy, shiny, and lustrous unless you get the proper dose.” Hickey explains that if you lack certain vitamins and nutrients, hair can become brittle or break easily, or you may experience certain scalp problems. A lack of biotin, for example, can cause yellow scales to develop on the scalp or acne to appear near the hairline. Hickey says there are other ingredients in a multivitamin that help maintain levels of antioxidants in the hair follicles—such as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids. Without them, follicles may become brittle and easily damaged. “What most people don’t realize is that we need our entire system working together to maintain health,” says Hickey, who recommends women take a comprehensive multivitamin every day.
make your own
An Appetite for Shine: Who says you can’t eat your beans and wear them too? To increase shine and add volume, try Philip B.’s Vegetarian Refried Bean Hair Masque. He says beans make a great base for this masque because they bond to the hair. His recipe provides essential moisture to dry, damaged hair because of its high fat content.
Botanical Formula: 1 cup refried vegetarian beans, 1 avocado peeled and pitted, 8 cooked Brussels sprouts fresh or frozen, 1 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons chopped cooked sweet potatoes fresh or frozen, 2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 tablespoons canola oil. In a blender, mix all ingredients on medium-low speed until completely smooth, about 45 seconds. Apply the masque by massaging through the hair and cover with a plastic shower cap. Leave on for 10- 20 minutes then remove cap and rinse hair thoroughly with warm water, scrubbing if necessary, until mixture is completely gone. Follow with a light hair conditioner for a minute or two. Makes 2 cups.
De-Stress Yourself
Hair loss is one example of metabolic dysfunction, so it’s important to maintain homeostasis or it is less likely the body will perform reparative or maintenance functions, such as heal a wound or grow hair. If you are experiencing stress, chances are you will disturb your homeostasis, or body chemistry.
Top 10 Hair Nightmares
An overindulgence in carbohydrates: dry cereals, cake, soda, sugar
Excessive sun
Nylon brushes: use natural bristle
Drugs (to counteract the effects of antibiotics, have a cup or more of yogurt a day to help with proper absorption and digestion)
Allergies and infection
Chemicals in the form of rinses, tints, and bleaches
Lack of a regular scalp massage
Chlorine
Saltwater
Bubblegum
Circulation is also key, according to McComb. “If we don’t get nutrition to our hair follicles, they will go into a dormant phase,” he says. “It’s important to nourish the follicles and get blood flowing to them, since that’s how they get their nutrients. Hormones affect hair follicle growth and help clean out heavy metals and improve circulation throughout the body.” McComb adds that calcium and phosphorous need to be balanced in the body, and if there is an excess of toxic calcium, it can be deposited in unhealthy places, changing the balance, so this too should be avoided.
Thyroid Troubles
“Hypothyroidism, which involves a low level of thyroid hormone, is common with women and hair loss,” explains Ridha Arem, an M.D. in private practice in Houston, Texas. “The thyroid hormone affects every aspect of your metabolism, and an iron deficiency, or anemia, can directly produce hair loss.” Arem explains that a decrease in iron results in a decrease in the number of red blood cells, which means that not enough oxygen is being carried to the tissues, so nutritionally hair isn’t getting adequate oxidization.
The good news is that if your doctor treats the thyroid problem, your hair health will improve. “Hypo- and hyperthyroidism are both very common in women,” says Valerie Peck, clinical associate professor of medicine in the department of endocrinology at New York University Medical Center. “However, the situation will improve after the thyroid has been undergoing treatment for a few months.”
Fit Follicles
Stress can increase the rate of hair loss, especially when it builds up. But working out, according to Peritz, an ideal form of physical and mental release, can alleviate this stress and prevent hair loss from happening so quickly. “Stress hormones like cortisol can kill hair follicles,” says Garcia. “It’s important for women to work at being fit because it’s a great way to regulate stress hormones. The combination of aerobic conditioning and a serious upper-body workout gives you a really good, comprehensive, well-rounded exercise program. Exercise also improves circulation, which brings blood from the capillaries to the hair follicles.”
Aging Agents
“As we grow older, our life span lessens and our hair falls out faster,” says Adrienne Denese, M.D., Ph.D., a specialist in antiaging medicine in private practice in Manhattan. “As the ability of the body to repair itself starts to decline, the hair follicles give up, deteriorate, and die.” Denese explains that hair thickness can be measured by the number of hair follicles per unit area or by the diameter of each individual hair. “When you lose your hair, the number of hairs as well as the diameter of each hair decreases,” she says. There are two types of hair: terminal hair and velous hair. “Terminal hair is the kind of hair we have when we are young,” she says. “It’s thick, coarse, resilient, and holds its shape nicely. Velous hair is that fluffy, strawlike hair that older women have. The individual hairs don’t hold their shape at all and they grow thin in diameter, so they are more fragile. As we age, more and more hair turns velous until, eventually, all of our hair is velous. For this reason, most older women keep their hair short since it looks healthier.”
Denese explains that as we age, our bodies don’t make enough protein for our hair to repair itself properly and it begins to deteriorate. In addition, our growth hormone levels decrease as we age and because of this our hair grows progressively drier. Diet has a minimal effect as well. “When you’re young, make sure you have all the essential fatty acids to make your hair a bit more shiny,” says Denese. “An older person can take all the fatty acids they want but they’ll be of minimal help since years of sunlight dries out and damages hair.”
As you can see, living a healthy life with a balanced diet, physical exercise, and minimal stress can even have a positive effect on your hair! And taking vitamins and herbal remedies appear beneficial as well. But, if none of the methods you’ve tried have succeeded, don’t despair—hair transplants and grafts can create the natural appearance you desire.
Strike a Pose
Nutrition and exercise are important for keeping fit and healthy, and that includes keeping hair healthy. “The growth of our hair is related to the thyroid, and when people experience trauma, the thyroid shuts down and our hair can turn gray or fall out,” explains Deansin Goodson Parker, Ph.D., owner of the Goodson Parker Wellness Center and coauthor of Yoga Baby. “In yoga, there are movements and poses you can do to stimulate the thyroid gland, which will in turn determine the shape of your hair and skin and the nature of the endocrine system. When the thyroid gland is functioning properly, new hair growth is stimulated.” Not all medical experts agree with this theory, but gentle exercise and stretching is great for the circulation and for your fitness level—and that’s good for your hair. Here are two easy movements that can help:
The Cobra: Lie on the floor on your stomach with your legs outstretched and your hands at your sides. Push your pubic bone into the floor and lift from the chest to bring your torso off the floor, hold for a few seconds and release.
The Shoulder Stand: Lie on your back with your hands supporting your lower back and then stretch your legs toward the ceiling. Maintain this hold for a minute with a coordinated breath. Return from the position slowly and carefully.
Head Cases
Imagine that every time you took a shower, brushed you hair, or pulled on a turtleneck, you found clumps of hair in your hand, in your towel, on your bathroom floor. The women you’re about to meet did. After searching for a cure, they each found a solution that worked for them. Here’s how some women cured their hair loss blues.
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I’ve always had thin, fine hair. I had a lot of it so it never seemed like it was as fine as it was. I always thought we had bad hair in my family because thinning, graying hair is hereditary. I didn’t color my hair until my late thirties. I started coloring it with gentle, over-the-counter hair color products and my hair started falling out, really badly, everywhere. My cleaning lady coudn’t believe it; she kept asking me whose hair she was finding all over the house. For the most part, it was all because of the coloring process. I was starting to feel very down about the way my hair looked. I was determined to not have my mother’s problem hair. I wanted to do something before it got too late. I knew I needed a hairstyle that didn’t require curl because I can’t perm my hair.
I heard about Lynn Glaze at Sheer Reflections. She is a master stylist and a specialist in hair color. I also had a friend who went to her for her hair color and really liked her, so I decided to pay her a visit. She started using a Paul Mitchell hair color beeswax, typically for fine hair, on my hair, and in no time, I could see the drastic difference—my hair looked shinier and healthier. My hair was also really dry, so I began using Paul Mitchell shampoos, hair moisture mist, and heat sealer. I was a good student and did exactly what she told me to do religiously.
After about a year, I started using Rogaine and my hair quit falling out. It’s not as long as I’d like it to be, but I still have a hard time getting it to grow. However, I don’t have as many really aggressive split ends as I used to have, so my hair is in much better shape all the way around, and I’m not losing it the way I had been.
Lynn also advised me on different tools and products that really made a difference. I still use the heat sealer product. She also said I didn’t need to use a round brush on my hair if I was using a curling iron.
My advise to other women who are suffering from hair loss is that if you have problem hair, which I do, you have to have a professional treat it. I went to a lot of people before I met Lynn. Now I feel better about my hair, I will never like the fact that I need to wash it every day, but I have minimal hair loss at this point. And I’ll always know what I’m doing as far as taking care of my hair.—Vickie, 43, Alexandria, Louisiana
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I first went to Lynn Glaze for a styling problem. I had given myself a bad home perm and everywhere I went, professionals told me I just had to grow it out and that they coudn’t fix it. A friend told me about Lynn, so I made an appointment. Lynn tested my hair and gave it a heat treatment where it was split and fried. This was four years ago, and I have been letting it grow out s